Uttar Pradesh is likely to witness more heavy to very heavy rainfall through August 22 as a well-marked low-pressure area near southeastern Uttar Pradesh continues to strengthen monsoon activity. The weather system is expected to move west-northwestwards across Jharkhand, southeastern Uttar Pradesh and northern Chhattisgarh over the next 24 hours. The India Meteorological Department has warned that southern parts of the state could receive heavy to very heavy rainfall during the next 48 hours.

An orange alert has been issued for 11 districts, including Banda, Chitrakoot, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, Sant Ravidas Nagar, Hamirpur, Mahoba and Lalitpur. These areas are expected to receive very heavy rainfall until Thursday morning. Another orange alert has been issued for Friday covering Hamirpur, Mahoba, Jhansi and Lalitpur, while several other districts remain under yellow alerts for heavy rainfall.

The strengthening monsoon has also helped reduce Lucknow’s seasonal rainfall deficit. The city recorded 15.5 mm of rain in the 24 hours ending at 8:30 am on Wednesday, while its rainfall total over the previous 96 hours reached 91 mm. Since June 1, Lucknow has received 391.3 mm of rainfall against the normal 456.5 mm, bringing its seasonal deficit down from 22% on Sunday to 14%.

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Rainfall has been particularly strong in parts of eastern and southern Uttar Pradesh. The state received 10.3 mm of rain during the same 24-hour period, with Pratapgarh recording the highest rainfall at 130 mm. The Prayagraj observatory recorded 119.8 mm, highlighting the intensity of the current spell in the region.

Despite the recent improvement, Uttar Pradesh continues to face a rainfall deficit for the season. Since June 1, the state has received 428.3 mm against the normal 513.7 mm, leaving an overall deficit of 17%. Eastern Uttar Pradesh remains more affected, with a 24% deficit after receiving 416.2 mm against a normal of 544.3 mm, while western Uttar Pradesh is closer to normal with a deficit of 5%.

The continuing weather system is expected to keep monsoon conditions active across the state over the coming days. Authorities and residents in districts under orange and yellow alerts are likely to remain watchful as intense rainfall could lead to waterlogging, swollen rivers and disruption in low-lying areas. The latest forecast indicates that southern Uttar Pradesh, particularly the Banda-Prayagraj belt, will remain among the areas facing the strongest rainfall activity.

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